Kylemore Abbey is a Benedictine monastery and one of Ireland’s most iconic heritage attractions, set on 1,000 acres of mountainside in Connemara, Co Galway, Ireland.

History of Kylemore Abbey

Originally built in 1868 as a private home, Kylemore Castle was bought in 1920 by an order of Benedictine Nuns, founded in Belgium in the 16th century, and became Kylemore Abbey.

Today, Kylemore is a place of spirituality, heritage, and natural beauty, welcoming thousands of visitors and pilgrims each year. It is a non-profit organization, with tourism and philanthropy supporting the monastic mission and conserving Kylemore Abbey’s rich heritage for the Irish nation.

Benedictine Nuns of Kylemore Abbey

Since 1920, the Benedictine nuns have made Kylemore a place of education, culture, and faith, continuing their long tradition in women’s education at their international girls’ school until 2010.

That tradition of education is kept alive through an innovative partnership with the University of Notre Dame, whose Kylemore Abbey Global Centre gives students an opportunity to experience Ireland in their on-site programs.

The Benedictine monastic community is growing in size and diversity, with nuns from Germany, India, China, Australia, Philippines, and Italy joining the Irish community at Kylemore. The nuns live and pray dispersed across 4 separate locations, traveling 3 times a day to their Monastic Church, 2 miles away.

New Monastery

With this growth and dispersal, the need for a purpose-built Monastery is pressing. The planned new Monastery will be the first women’s Benedictine monastery in Ireland for more than 400 years. It will provide dedicated space for new vocations; a home where nuns can live and pray together; and a residential retreat and spiritual education center for visitors.

The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the Monastery – Kylemore was closed for over a year, global tourism has stalled and construction costs have increased significantly.

Funds raised by the Spirit of Kylemore event will support the new Monastery project.

For more information about the Benedictine Nuns of Kylemore Abbey and the new Monastery please go to trust.kylemoreabbey.com.